Wharfedale Brewery is situated in Ilkley town centre on the edge of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.

The company is made up of sixteen investors who have fostered great friendships over many years.

All with a close connection to the town, the majority of them are past chairmen of Ilkley Round Table and founder members of the highly successful Ilkley Beer Festival which was first hosted in 2008.

They felt there was a niche in the market place to capitalise on the resurgence in the popularity of real ale by producing and selling their own beer in the kind of pub which they felt had been sadly lacking in the Ilkley area.

The opportunity arose to acquire the lease of the former Mallard Inn (more recently the Albert) on Church Street.

The Grade II listed building, steeped in 300 years of history, provided an exact match with their plans to provide a Yorkshire Dales style real ale and fine wine venue, in a setting packed with character which could incorporate a small microbrewery in a barn at the rear.